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As always, FP1, FP2 and 30-minute Qualifying on Saturday, 3 races on Sunday, with a reverse grid (between positions 6-10 of the race 2 results) for race 3.

The current ruleset, known as 'NGTC' or under the FIA, 'TCN-1', is locked in for the next 5 years, starting with 2017. Likewise, the live UK TV coverage is also a 5 year deal. Every race is LIVE on ITV4, ITV4HD through free-to-air TV or streamed live through the itv.com website. Qualifying is streamed live on the Saturday via itv.com/btcc.

Dunlop is the sole tyre supplier, also on a 5-year deal. New for 2017, however, are wider tyres. There were quite a few punctures in 2016, so hopefully this helps. In addtion, there are new compounds.

The support races are the Renault UK Clio Cup Championship, Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Championship, Ginetta Junoir Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and British Formula Ford Championship. Each of these series is also on Saturday and Sunday, and live on ITV4, ITV4HD and ITV.com.

Pro-tip is if you miss the races live, they will be here from the Monday afterwards to stream online for free. You can even watch (currently) every 2016 race here: http://www.itv.com/btcc/races

The driver and teams line-up is properly exciting this season. So far, (at the time of writing, just one seat remains), for definite, the series is at it's maximum capacity. A full 32 car grid. Each team has a TBL (a licence) which legally locks them in to competing at every race.

Vauxhall and BMW return as manufacturer backed entires, alongside Honda, Subaru and MG. The private teams also have some great primary backers, such as Laser Tools, WIX Filters and breakfast cereal Shredded Wheat. The trackside visitors and TV viewers are at a new high, with an average of 35,000+ visiting each round in 2016. Those are some really brilliant track-side figures for a national series.

Some very exciting racing at Donington. Thought the driving at the original start of race three was less than impressive, though. On the face of it conditions were no worse than we've seen at a lot of BTCC races in the past — the 1993 European GP support at Donington springs to mind — yet people were throwing themselves at the scenery. To me, it looked eminently raceable.